Saturday, April 29, 2017

"Our backyard"

Our new backyard in Campbell includes a section of Canberra's Centenary Trail, a 145 kilometre self-guided, walking/cycling trail that "showcases Canberra's iconic sites and hidden treasures" . The Campbell part of the trail starts at the rear of the War Memorial. It's a 4.5klm loop walk, through the bush to the top of Mt Ainslie (and back).

The first point of interest for me on the walk is this very quiet place of remembrance for Aboriginal people who served with the Australian forces. The flowers are very fresh as ANZAC Day was only a few days ago. This little bush shrine is a very telling reminder of how little and how late is our country's recognition of Aboriginal people's contribution.

I like this quiet space of contemplation - so close to the grandiosity of our Australian War Memorial.

The walk up the mountain (it's a good climb) gives me lots of excuses to stop frequently and admire the gum trees.

The view from the top of Mt Ainslie is one we've admired many times before - but it's much more fun now it is part of "our backyard".

And we can even see our apartment from here too! Can you?

This view of Black Mt Tower always reminds us of Seoul Tower now, thanks to our visit there last September for Joelly and Kay's wedding (this view just has more gum trees and blue sky).

After our walk we wanted to visit Saint Germain (again) to check on progress - but were intrigued to see the crowds around the nearby (Australian) Vietnam Forces National Memorial on Anzac Parade.

Through careful listening we were able to determine it was a large contingent of Sth Vietnamese Army veterans and their families/friends, (mostly from Sydney, we think) commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the fall of Saigon (on 30 April 1975)... an amazing and sobering sight ....... making us realise we are going to be much more aware of our military history living so close to these solemn spaces.

But back to Saint Germain: all the construction fences are down now so we're able to walk freely all around the building!

And we even have a sign to our apartment now!

Once again, we strike it lucky and score an invitation to our apartment (ask no questions please!!). And the biggest change since our last view is seeing that the timber floor is laid - and we love it!

A view from the main kitchen into the side "scullery" room......

We seem to have scored 2 Miele ovens - and one of them is a steam oven - this is an upgrade on the original specs we were given as far as we can work out (all good).

The workmen are all extremely proud of the building and appear to love showing it off - they constantly refer to how detailed it is (thus taking a long time to finish off!!!!).

I was very proudly shown how you can see the green dome of the War Memorial in our view to Mt Ainslie from the winter garden. Can you see it? (pity it is green, like everything else)

Still some finishing off to do in the ensuite.......

Such an exciting visit - and once again we are delighted with what we see and no "issues" evident as yet!

By the time time we're done the Vietnam Forces National Memorial on Anzac Parade is deserted again, the crowds have dispersed - leaving space and time to think about this tragic era of our recent history that we know so much about!